So here you go, my lovelies. If you missed anything here at Teen Style Lounge this year, here is a recap of the Top 10 Beauty Tips of 2008. Enjoy!

1. Feeling sleepy and worn out after all the holiday hoopla? Try this simple trick to wake up a tired face right away. You’ll look like a whole new person – promise!
2. A little worried about showing your age before it’s time? No prob. Here’s a simple step you can take right now to keep your skin looking young for a long time to come.
3. Searching for a new hairdo in 2009? If not, maybe you should be. Here are 5 signs you need a hairstyle intervention. Take a look.
4. Got skin? Sure you do. All skin types need special care during the cool winter months. Here are some tips if you suffer from dry skin and some if you have acne-prone skin. Give ‘em a try…your face will thank you.
5. Get a new fragrance for the holidays? Here are 4 quick steps to make sure your scent doesn’t pull a disappearing act – these will assure you can make it last all day!
6. Ever wonder if there was a way you could maximize how your conditioner works on your hair? Me too. And I have the answer. Take a look.
7. So, you got a little crazy with the blush, eh? Hey, it happens. Try this quick trick to fix embarrassing blush over-application in a hurry.
8. Did you know that wet hair deserves a little extra TLC? I’ve learned how to care for your post-wash strands and give you the whole scoop, too.
9. Haven’t perfected the whole mani-in-a-rush thing? Here’s a tip to get those nails to dry on the quick…just in time to head out to another party!

There you have it, beauties! 10 Tips (that look like 9 since I combined two!) to get you sailing into 2009 right.

Do you have any great tips? If so, don’t be so stingy. Share ‘em!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

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Haircare is such a fickle phenomenon, isn’t it? Just when you fall in love with a particular product, it becomes discontinued and you’re back at square one. Thankfully, you’ve got me working tirelessly to find the best of the best just for you and I’m happy to report I have finally found THE perfect hairspray!

It seems that after months and months of sifting through blah products, I’ve finally hit a winning streak in the hair department. The other day I spoke of the Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Smoothing Serum, the pre-styling product that saved me from days on end of frizzy, fuzzy funkiness. Now, I’m here to sing the praises of John Frieda’s All-Out Hold Hairspray from the new Luxurious Volume line of products.

This stuff very much reminds me of my beloved Redken hairspray of yore. The one that used to be completely perfect until they changed the formula and it became a sticky version of its former self. John Frieda’s All-Out Hold spray even smells very similar to the more expensive Redken one.

The beauty of the All-Out Hold spray is that it adds shine, gives volume and is humidity resistant. All this and it doesn’t weigh hair down or become sticky or clumpy. It’s just a nice, firm hold without the helmet-head backlash. It’s truly perfect.

And since I scored mine at Target for a mere $5.74 (plus I had a coupon!), this product is one I just had to squawk about. So if finding the perfect (and affordable) hairspray is on your to-do list, be sure to check this one out right away!

P.S. If you head to the John Frieda site, you’ll find a video on how to achieve some seriously sexy volume with your hair. It’s a great how-to definitely worth watching!

Image: JohnFrieda.com

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Plagued by frizzy or unruly hair? Join the club. That’s why I’m forever on the hunt for the perfect product to tame my tresses and allow them to live up to their lustrous potential. My favorite find? Paul Mitchell’s Super Skinny Serum from their Smoothing line.

Ladies, this stuff is heaven sent, I promise. My stylist tried it on me right after a recent cut and lo and behold, my wavy mane settled down and straightened out just like a good ‘do should. It was phenomenal.

Now, I will admit that I am often easily persuaded to purchase whatever a stylist uses on me, only to let it languish in the cupboard under my sink for all of eternity. The Super Skinny Serum, however, has gotten used every single day for the last week and a half and I am still amazed by it. It truly makes such a big difference in how my hair behaves.

The idea here is to apply the serum while your hair is still wet, regardless if you plan to blow dry or air dry. If you blow dry, you’ll enjoy the benefits of a shorter drying time, as a smoother surface and smaller diameter (caused by the serum displacing the water in the hair shaft) makes for faster styling. If you’re a nighttime showerer like me, when you go to style the next morning, you’ll have a sleek and shiny surface to work with, rather than a frizzy, bushy mess. Joy!

This serum comes in several sizes and is available at most salons. Give the sample size a try like I did, but I have a feeling you’ll end up springing for the full-size bottle next time around.

If you want to enjoy your hair again (who doesn’t?) this stuff will help! Promise!

Image: PaulMitchell.com

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OMG, you guys! What a cool site!

If you’ve ever woken up wondering what the day’s weather had in store for your hairstyle (um, hello? Who hasn’t?), here is the site for you!

HairForecast.com will give your ‘do a rating on a scale of 1 (go back to bed) to 10 (get out there and flaunt those locks) based on the weather and humidity forecast for your area. All you have to do is plop in your ZIP code or city and state and your personalized report comes up. You’ll get a rating for morning, noon and night.

What’s more? This site is free, AND each day you visit HairForecast.com, one day’s worth of clean water is donated to an African in need. Amazing, huh?

Bottom line? When you leave the house in the morning, you can leave with gorgeous hair (hopefully) and a happy conscious. Spread the word, spread the beauty.

Images from HairForecast.com

Learn more about African water donation at bloodwatermission.org

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Um, okay. I admit it. I feel like a real dufus. Here’s someone who blogs (and reads) incessantly about beauty, and yet I totally missed the boat on something pretty simple and very, very important: combing wet hair.

I swear a million years or so ago I read that you should use a vent brush when combing out your wet hair (say, after a shower or trip to the beach). SO WRONG, says my new hairstylist. In fact, when I told her about my vent brush usage, I thought she was going to hit me upside the head with a nearby flat iron. She literally gasped. And I literally felt like an imbecile.

What to use, then? Preferably a hair pick. If you don’t have a pick handy, but you do have a r-e-a-l-l-y wide-toothed comb, that would suffice. Until you can get yourself a pick, that is.

Huh. Here all this time I’ve been paying upwards of $10 or more on those fancy-schmancy vent brushes only to find out that a pick from the dollar store is my ticket to healthy hair. Sigh.

But, hey, at least there is a bright side: I saved you all some money and headaches (er, split ends), right?

You’re welcome.

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Bees Knees Pony Pretty, $6. Available on Etsy.com

This has got to be one of the cutest pony-holders evah!

Oops, wait. This is not a pony holder. It’s a Pony Pretty. And it goes over top of your already-in-place ponytail holder to add some character and extra sass.

This is such a fun find. I noticed that this same gal (an Etsy artist) has several different styles to pick from, one of them being Halloween (never to early to plan for a little spookiness, right?).

This one’s called Bees Knees and all of the Pony Pretty Holders come in pairs. This way you can split your strands into pigtails or even layer two holders onto one pony for extra interest. And the price? Way too fabulous for words!

Check out all the styles this artist has to offer. Fun stuff, for sure!

Image: Etsy

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So how do you feel about the “Big Hair” look? Because I love it. And I always have. Yes, there is definitely a place for sleek and straight, but big hair is fun, it’s personal and you don’t have to worry so much about keeping every little strand in place when you’re out and about.

Love it or hate it, Selena Gomez does it well here, and I dare anyone to dispute otherwise. This is big, but not HUGE, so it’s still fashion-forward, but not obnoxious. I think she looks great and I’d love to see lots of girls emulate this style if their hair allows for it.

So, what do you think? Does big hair get a “yes” from you, or a “no flippin’ way”? Let us know in the comments below…

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Sea Mist by Sunsilk, $3.99

Back in the day, John Frieda made the most fantastic product to ever meet my natural waves. It gave me the beach-sexiest tendrils around. But, alas, just like every other perfect product out there, it was discontinued, and I was left scrambling for something to restore my favorite summer look.

I’ve tried many, many products people, and some have been horrific (can you say “petrified hair so stiff you could hammer a nail with it”?) and some have been “meh”. Well, last week, I found THE ONE.

Now, mind you, I still miss the John Frieda product because of it’s kick-butt scent, but Sunsilk’s Sea Mist Spray works so well, I can almost get past its fruity air. Do I wish it smelled more beachy? Um, yeah. But I can deal.

So, this Sea Mist….it’s so fab! I’m generally a night-showerer, so in the a.m., all I do is mist my hair with a water bottle, then spray on the Sea Mist and scrunch away. If I’m in the mood, I’ll take the time to make a few twists around my face which leave a more defined look, but for the first time all summer, I’m embracing the mega-humidity in my parts and celebrating my waves. It’s so great…and easy!

And as an FYI, I’m also using the Waves of Envy shampoo and conditioner by Sunsilk, too. Lovin’ the whole line, I tell you! And for about $2.99 each for the shampoo and conditioner, and about $3.99 for the Sea Mist Spray, I’m thinking I just found you guys a really sweet deal!

So if you’re a wavy girl, give these a go. Wave on!

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